• k48r@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Any more context on this image? My understanding is that AA guns are shockingly inefficient, and I’d expect a tank gun to be almost useless unless it’s a specific tactical scenario.

    • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
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      6 months ago

      I imagine it was most used against close air support, not high-altitude bombing. Seeing what to bomb in the dense woods would require flying pretty low and slow, which makes you a great target for a big semi-auto gun like this.

      Another good motivator is that a bigass rifle is really flexible (sort of). You can shoot at vehicles, bunkers, snipers, harass tanks, and apparently also planes.

      A twin-mounted full-auto variant was kept in service till the late 70s, mostly for anti-helicopter purposes, so it’s probably a pretty decent piece of kit.

    • PugJesus@kbin.socialOPM
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      6 months ago

      It probably was almost useless, but in WW2, such ad-hoc anti-aircraft measures were still attempted against dive bombers and the like.